US House rejects Afghan withdrawal bill

The US House of Representatives failed to pass a resolution by Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich that would have removed all US troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2011 – even though most Americans want out.

Meeting defeat with a 93 to 321 vote, the numbers showed a mark growth in congressional support for a swift withdraw from Afghanistan. A similar measure failed to pass in 2010 by a 65 to 356 vote.

In 2010 five Republicans supported the bill, this time eight voted to bring the troops back to the US, citing both financial and foreign policy arguments for the change.

“There is nothing fiscally conservative about this war," said Republican Congressman John Duncan.